Saint Martin of Tours: patron saint of France, father of monasticism in Gaul, and the first great leader of Western monasticism

Summary:

Martin was born in Sabaria, in Pannonia (Central Europe), to a relatively wealthy pagan family. His father was a soldier in the imperial army, and Martin grew up in northern Italy, in Ticinum, now Pavia. He told his friend the writer Saint Sulpicius Severus that, at the age of ten, he attended Chrisitan churches to ask to be baptised as a catechumen, without his parents' consent, and was refused. Shortly afterwards, he gave himself entirely to the exclusive service of God. At the age of twelve, as proof of his soul's attachment to this intense call, he sought only to live in solitude to enjoy the presence of his God. But as his father was a military veteran, Martin had to join a cavalry regiment age of fifteen.

During his cavalry training under the Roman emperor Constantine II and afterwards under Julian, Martin got into the habit of serving his valet by taking off his shoes and cleaning them. He lunched with him, consoled the unfortunate and helped the poor, feeding and clothing them. He kept from his pay only what was necessary. His patience, humility and sobriety were well-known.

At the age of 18, on the outskirts of Amiens during a harsh winter, he saw "an almost naked beggar.The holy man understood that God had put him there for him." Martin had already given away everything he had and owned only the cloak that covered him. He therefore drew his sword to cut his cloak in half to share it with the beggar. The next night, he awoke to see Christ clothed in half his cloak. A voice commanded him to look attentively at the Lord, who turned to the angels and said loudly: "Martin, while still a catechumen, clothed me with this robe." By clothing the poor and showing compassion, the young soldier had clothed Christ himself! He recognised the goodness of God, who rewarded him for his action, and finally received baptism. However, he had to remain in the army for another two years.

Faced with the advance of the barbarians in Gaul, Julian called his officers to give them a large sum of money in preparation for future battles. Martin said to Julian: "Until now, I have served you, Caesar; allow me to serve God now: may those who must fight accept your gifts; I am a soldier of Christ, and I am no longer allowed to fight." The future emperor became so angry that he accused Martin of cowardice, but Martin offered to go "unarmed before the enemy army, and in the name of the Lord Jesus, armed with the sign of the cross instead of a helmet and a shield, I will rush fearlessly into the midst of the enemy battalions." Martin was thus exposed before the opposing camp. Then, against all odds, the emperor's formidable enemies sent messengers to ask for peace and offered the Roman soldiers everything they had. There can be no doubt that this bloodless victory is attributed to Martin's faith alone.

At the end of his service, in a dream, Martin received a command from the Lord to go visit his parents, who were still pagans. He faced many adversities. While crossing the Alps, Martin was attacked by thieves: while one of them raised his axe to strike him, another held back his arm to save him. When asked if he was afraid, Martin replied that he was deeply confident, because he knew that Christ's goodness is shown especially in danger. He preached so well to the thief that he fully embraced the Christian faith. Martin then met the devil on his way, who took on a human guise and told him: "Wherever you go, you will meet the devil to thwart you." But Martin replies: "The Lord is my help, and I will not fear what man can do to me." The devil vanished immediately. The young missionary converted his mother, but his father remained in error.

By this time, the Aryan heresy was so widespread in Europe that Martin found himself alone to fight it. Publicly whipped and hunted down, he fled to Milan, where he built a monastery. However, he was evicted and found refuge on the island of Gallinaria. When he accidentally ingested a toxic herb and almost died, the strength of his faith averted the danger and brought him back to life. On discovering a catechumen who had died without baptism, Martin prostrated himself over the corpse, prayed and the person was resurrected. No doubt he also brought back to life another man who had ended his life by hanging himself, as well as a dead child whose mother was mourning.

Following these events, Martin was chosen by the people of Tours to become their bishop. He chose to remain a hermit by building the monastery of Marmoutier, which attracted many vocations. This fervent and ascetic community produced many bishops in early Gaul.

Martin did not sit in the pulpit, but instead on a modest tripod. He often healed the sick and cast out demons. At the end of his life, despite the persecution of his peers who considered him to be "a shabby-looking man with filthy clothes and messy hair", he was held in high esteem by the people. People said that the Holy Spirit literally fell on those who listened to his words. Martin was seen as the equal of the apostles, and his reputation spread rapidly throughout Gaul.

Martin of Tours was one of the first saints to be canonised by the Catholic Church, who did not experience bloody martyrdom but acquired many different heroic virtues. The basilica in Tours, where he was buried, was immensely popular with the faithful and pilgrims.

Beyond reasons to believe:

All his life, Martin tried to discretely hide his virtues. Curiously, however, he enjoyed immense fame over many centuries in Gaul, to the extent that in the 21st century he is still the patron saint of 230 communes, 3,700 parishes and 12 cathedrals in France. One French commune in seven is named for a saint, among which Martin of Tours is the most widespread. Likewise, Martin is a very common last name in France. It is likely that people adopted his name to sollicit his protection.

Going further:

• The Western Fathers Being the Lives of Martin of Tours, Ambrose, Augustine of Hippo, Honoratus of Arles and Germanus of Auxerre by Sulpicius Severus, Paulinus the Deacon, et al. Harper Torchbooks (January 1, 1965)

More information:

• St. Martin and His Hagiographer: History and Miracle in Sulpicius Severus by Clare Stancliffe, Oxford University Press; UK ed. edition (January 12, 1984)

• Martin of Tours: The shaping of Celtic Christianity by Christopher Donaldson, Hymns Ancient & Modern Ltd; Reissue edition (May 16, 2012)

• Martin of Tours: Soldier, Bishop by Michael J. Miller (Author), Regine Pernoud (Author),  Ignatius Press; First Edition (February 15, 2006)